Gas-flow alarm



Patented ct.. ld, i924..

HARRY CAPPELLAN'II, OF MO'BGANTOWN,

wns'r VIRGINIA, .assiettes or onu-HALF TO ALPI-IEEE D. LAVINDER, 0FMORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA.

GAS-FLOW ALARM.

Application Vld. Julyr 31,

, ing or other purposes, and that for various reasons the -flow orsupply of gas is interrupted, or cut off". VVhenthe supply of gas isthus interrupted, the burners are automatically extinguished andwhen thesupp-ly of gas is continued again, the same escapes through the burnersinto the building so as to result in a waste of gas, the occurrence ofan objectionable odor therefrom 'and even the endangering of the livesof the persons in the building.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to j immediatelyautomatically notify the occupant of the dwelling when thisdiscontinuation of the supply of gas takes place sov that the burnersmay be turned off before the' supply of gas is againrestored and so thatthe escape of gas through the burners will be prevented.

An object of this invention is to provide a device of this kind whichembraces the desired qualities of simplicity and durability ofconstruction as well as efciency in operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide an alarm device which maybe cheaply and easily installed without the requirement of specialskill.

Other objects will appeary as the nature of the invention is betterunderstood and the same consists in the novel form, combination, andarrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described, shown in theaccompanying drawings, and claimed.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicatecorresponding v parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View 1923. Serial No. 654,885.

through the alarm device and the connections thereto in a gas line.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary detail sectional view taken substantially onthe line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, 5 indicates an ordinary gassupply pipe,

through which the flow of gas is controlled by means of a valve 6. Theoutlet end of the pipe 5 is externally threaded and screwed within thebranch 7 of the multiway fitting, which has a lateral branch S providedwith means generally indicated at 9 for connec tion with a burner.

As shownin Figure 1, the outlet end of the pipe 5 projects within thechamber of the fitting between the ports 7 and 8, and is open at bothends. A bell shaped piston 9 is slidably mounted in the outlet end ofthe pipe 5 and the latter is provided with a vlateral port 10 adapted tobe closed by the bell shaped piston 9 when the latter is in its normallowered position which `it assumes by gravity when there is no gaspressure in the supply pipe 5. Thus, when the gas pres.- sure is cut offin the line 5, the piston 9 assumes a lowered position by gravity toclose theport 10 and is adapted to be raised by such pressure within thepipe 5 when the same is resumed so as to uncover the port 10 and permitthe free flow of gas through the fitting from the pipe 5 to the burner.

The multiway fitting also includes a port i1 which is opposed to theport 7 and onto which is threaded a casing 12 of the alarnr mechanismper se. This port 11 is closed by means of a packing gland generallyindicated at 13, so as to prevent entrance of the gas into the casing 12and said casing 12 contains a spring escapement-controlled alarmmechanism adapted to be held against operation when the piston 9 israised.

As shown the alarm mechanism embodies a spring 14 adapted to be wound bya suitable key 15 secured upon the winding shaft thereof enteriorly ofand at one side of the casing 12, which spring is adapted to rotate agear`16 which is operatively associated with an escapement wheel 17through a reduction gearing generally indicated at 18. This escapementwheel 17 is associated with an escapement lever 19 in a well knownmanner and the escapement lever carries a fixed hammery the free end ofwhich is p-rovided'with ahead 21 adapted to intermittently strike aresonant shell 22y that is secured inl a slot provided in one side ofthe casing 12 byvmeans of a screw 23.- A rod 24 is readily attachedtothe piston 9 and extends,v upwardly 4through the stufling `box 13where its upper'end is vim'pinged againstthe under ysideof an arm 25thatis rigid With theescapementlever 19.- The rod24 is of 5 such lengthaslto hold' the escapement lever 19 againstrocling movement so as-torender the. hammer. 2O inoperative when. the piston 9gisr'a1sed by thepressure of gas` in the supply line 5;l .On the other hand, should thepressure inthe supply line 5 be discontinued for any reason the'plis'ton 9 will be allowed tol lower by gravity for releasing the rod 24v fromthe arm 25 andthereby permitting .the y es capementlever 19 tovibrate under. the actuating influence Vof the spring 14 and the gearing`r1,8r ftofgether with the escapement i Wheel 17 so that the alarmwillvbesounded.

Inthis manner, the occupant of a building jis Vvimmediatelylnotiiiedwhen the supply of 'gas isdiscontinued forA anyreason and is therebyinformed that the' burners inthe i i buildingshould be inspected and ifanywere *1 llighted thatl 4they should ;,b'e turned e off.

lVhen this is done, no gas v'will escape into the l building upon aresumption .of thesupply vof Agas to the burner, ,the occurrence ofwhich f will cause the piston 9 tofagain rise forengagingthe rod24f withthe lever 25v and preventing' operation ofV the eseapement lever '19 andthe hammer 20. carried thereby.

; Shouldthe devicefbecome out of order or inoperative for any reason,theescapement lever `19 maybe manuallyheld against movelmen-t by'meansjo-fja .hand operated lever 26 L that is pivoted 'in 'the casing12l and hasl a 'inger 'pin 27 extending outwardly through" n a slot 28provided in one end of the easing.

'This` lever 26 maybe tightly mounted upon l5 itspivot 29 softhat whenthe lever .is lmanu- *ally/moved, the inner end of the same willi`remain in position wherein the arm 25 is of the fitting with a burneris shown as provided with a control valve 32 and adapted for connectionWith the burner by means of a flexible piping. However, it is to beunderstood that the present invention may be installed at any point inthe gas supply line behind burners of a building in oase a plurality' ofburners are used.

From the foregoing description, itwill be seen that I have provided avery simple and durable form of alarm which will effectively serve tonotifya person upon the occurrencel fof a discontinuation of gas supply.l

Numerous advantages of the invention will suggest themselves to thoseskilled in the art and it is td benoted that rminor from the 'spirit andIscope of the invention as'olamed. v .e i

What I claim-as new is: i

A gas flow control mechanism comprisprovided at its side with an openingwhich is spaced from the interior surface :ofthe body, a bell-shapedpiston slidablyA mounted infthe pipe and arranged to move over Vchanges:may be made without' departinging al body, ap'sipeentering the bodyandthe opening, the concavity of the piston being disposed in the lineofdirection of the flow of gas through the pipe, an eseapementVmechanism mounted'upon the bodyyand a rod connected with thebell-shaped piston and having` an end portion disposed fin vthe `path ofmovement. of oneof the movable elements-of the escapement Inechanisrll.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

' HARRY GAPPELLANTI.

